How do you save money on your electricity bill at home?

Have you ever thought about smart ways to save on your electricity and water bill? Do you wonder why every month, a huge chunk of change from your paycheck goes towards the utility bill? Water and electricity are the main items that make up the utility bill. The U.S. Energy Information Administration revealed that the average American spends up to $111.67 per month on electricity.

While most people surely cannot do without electricity, it makes sense to explore ways how the electricity bill can be lowered by let’s say 25% by tweaking consumption patterns.

Additionally, adjusting your electricity usage can increase energy security, leaves more money in your wallet, and reduce pollution emitted from non-renewable energy.

 

Best Ways to Save on Electricity Bill

1. Ways to reduce electricity consumption- Cut down on Heating and Cooling Consumption

The heating and cooling system is responsible for about half of your monthly energy usage.

2. Adjust your fridge and freezer temperature

You don’t have to overwork your fridge and freezer to keep your food fresh and tasty. Overworking them will only add to your bills. So set your freezer between 0 and 5 degrees and your fridge to 38 degrees.

You can also make either your fridge or freezer use less energy by protecting it from high heat sources, keeping the doors closed, replacing the rubber seal on the door, tidying up the condenser coil, defrosting the freezer compartment, and by removing clutters from it.

3. Lower the temperature on the water heater

Usually, the temperature for a water heater is usually set at 140 degrees. You can lower it to 120 degrees to save up to 10% on cost. If you won’t be home for a few days, you can turn it off completely to conserve energy.

4. Air-dry your dishes and clothes

Air-dry your dishes by opting out of the heat-dry cycle. If your dishwasher allows you to air-dry, use the air-dry setting to reduce energy by 50%

5. Negotiate seasonal discounted rates

During certain times, some utility providers make energy usage less expensive. Asking about the discounted rates will help you plan your energy usage.

6. Avoid using the cooker every time

Food is essential but cutting down on the rate at which you cook is a smart way of saving on electricity bills. Eat more salads and cold meals outside the house.

7. Replace your air filter regularly

Replacing dirty air filters with clean ones can reduce your energy usage by up to 15%. So if your energy bill is $150 per month, you could save up to $20 by only replacing your air filter.

8. Get solar panels and sell excess energy to the grid

Solar panels capture energy from the sun and convert the energy into electricity that can be used at home. Installing solar panels in your home will enable you to generate personal renewable electricity and cut down on excessive electricity bills.

Much more, you can earn from solar energy by selling excess power generated to the grid.

 

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9. Reduce heat waste

You can reduce heat waste by insulating doors and checking windows for leaks or broken seals. Undetected openings or leaks will allow cold air to come in and allow hot air to escape.

The more you try to keep with the overall feel of your home, the more money you spend on heat. More so, reduce heat waste by regularly maintaining effective heat distribution.

10. Use a programmable thermostat and track energy use

If heat reduction isn’t giving you the kind of home feel you want, install a programmable thermostat.

A programmable thermostat makes changes automatically and keeps your home energy efficient, whether you are home or not. A programmable thermostat also helps to track energy usage.

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Easy Water Conservation Tips

Taking a step towards a more conservative lifestyle also involves adopting the following water conservation measures.

1. Take quick showers

If you usually take five-minute showers, cut out two minutes, and shower for three. Trimming for two minutes can cut your water usage by up to five gallons.

2. Turn the water off at intervals

When washing hands, brushing teeth, or shaving, turn the water off at intervals. Only turn the water on when you are done with the process.

3. Replace your showerhead

While taking a shower, you should also use a low-flow showerhead of less than 2.5gpm to reduce the water flow rate. If your showerhead isn’t a low-flow one, place a water flow restrictor in it to avoid wasting water and to reduce the heating cost.

4. Save electricity by washing cloth in cold water

Since most clothes washers allow users to adjust the temperature for laundry, wash and rinse your clothes in cold water. About 80% of the energy consumed by clothes washers goes to heating the water.

So use cold water to put less pressure on grids and save a considerable amount of energy.

5.Fix leaking faucets

A leaky faucet is equivalent to having your water run 24hrs a day. When that happens, you would have to pay more bills for wasted usage. So get a plumber to fix any leaking faucet.

6. Lower the temperature of your water heater

Heating water accounts for 18% of your electricity bill. However, lowering the temperature on your water heater and adopting a cold shower routine can help you save a lot on your electricity bill.

While manufacturers set water heater thermostats at 140 degrees, you can lower it to 120 degrees.

7. Switch to Energy-efficient Drier and Dishwasher

Switching to an energy efficiency drier and dishwasher can save up to 20% energy.

Ensure your drier has features like sensor-drying and low heat setting to enable you to use less energy for your chores.

Also, upgrade your dishwasher to an energy-saving model to reduce the cost of electricity consumption. You may consider washing by hand.

 

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8. Negotiate a discount on utility rates

Some states (or provinces) allow residents to make energy choices. If you are in such a state or province, you can choose from multiple electricity providers.

You can take advantage of the choice by negotiating a discount on utility rates after careful comparisons.

Making energy choices also allows you to switch from energy providers that increase their bills after a low-promotional-rate period to more faithful and affordable ones.
 
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How to Save on energy consumption- Power and Lighting

The third-biggest energy drain following heating/cooling and water usage is power as well as lighting your home. Fundamentally, if you want to save more on electricity in the home, you have to cut down the amount of power and lighting use.

• Install dimmer Switches

  Dimmer switches can help you save about 40% of your power and lighting energy consumption and make your bulbs last longer. Install LED dimmer switches and always ensure you adjust them to a different level of light at various times of the day.

  Dimmer switches can help you save money and also make your room comfortable.

• Ensure your appliances work properly

  Electronic appliances that are not working properly will only drain the energy in your home. So do a regular check on your appliances. Clean and repair them regularly.

  If you need to replace any appliance, ensure to replace it with Energy Star models to aid efficiency.

  For large appliances that do not require routine evaluation, ensure to set a time for an annual check-up. Although an annual check-up might be expensive, it is better than paying so much for the complete replacement of appliances or the use of energy.

• Turn off unnecessary lights and unplug unused electronics

  When lights or desktops are not in use, turn them off. If you can do without lighting, turn off your lights during the day. If you are forgetful about turning off the light, set a timer that allows the light to turn off automatically.

  More so, unplug electronics or use a power strip to disconnect the power directed to the appliance.

• Run full loads (Drier and dishwasher)

  Running half loads of dishes will consume more energy than when you run a full load. More so, since the energy consumption of drier and dishwasher is dependent on the temperature, it is best to run the machines on a full load with a low temperature.

• Hang dry your laundry

  Much more than opting for cold water for laundry, hang drying your laundry is also a smart way of saving on power and reducing your electricity bill. Even so, hanging your clothes on the line to dry will help preserve their vibrancy.

• Clean your air conditioning vents and units

  To function effectively and efficiently, your air conditioner’s fins, coils, and vents need to be regularly cleaned and maintained. Clogged vents will block the normal airflow and cause your air conditioner to overwork.

  More so, dirt in the evaporator coil will reduce airflow, insulate the coil, and reduce the air conditioner’s ability to absorb heat. So clean your air conditioner to prevent unnecessary wastage of power.

• Use the microwave oven or toaster oven instead of the oven

  Toaster oven and microwave save more money than an oven itself. So cook leftover meals with microwave and cook meals with a toaster oven. Toaster ovens save about 60% of the energy that can be consumed with an electric oven.

  When using your toaster oven, ensure to keep the door closed to retain its internal temperature. Opening the oven door will only cause the oven to use more electricity to raise the temperature again.

• Use a ceiling fan instead of AC

  An air conditioner uses between 600W to 3500W per day while a fan uses between 30-80W. Using a fan can help you save up to 40% on your cooling cost per year.

• Reduce The Wattage

  The lower the wattage, the higher the amount you save on your electricity bills. Having an over-lit area will only increase your electricity bills. Buy LED lights, and pick fittings that won’t obstruct the light.

 
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Miscellaneous tips to reduce your energy and utility bill

1• Wear thick and comfortable clothes

Do you know that you can keep yourself comfortable at home and spend less on electricity bills by wearing thick and warm comfortable clothes? In winter, wear sweaters, clothes with long sleeves, and those designed as turtle neck.

In summer and spring, go for clothes with short sleeves. By wearing thick clothes in winter, you won’t have to use appliances that drain your energy usage

2• Use vent covers

You can also save up on energy usage by using vent covers that redirect heat to the intended areas in the room. Install an air vent diverter to reduce the energy consumption in your home and enable optimized heating and cooling.

Asides from saving energy, an air vent diverter will also help you stay warm without the need to adjust your thermometer.

3• Replace electric stove with a gas stove

Gas stoves do not only save energy, but they also do not always depend on electricity to function. Save your energy consumption by replacing an electric stove with a gas stove.

4• Prepaid Electric Bill

Although this option is rarely discussed, it is inarguably the most effective way to save on electricity. Rather than pay whatever you are billed, consider a billing plan that allows you to buy the amount of electricity you want to use.

It is incredibly helpful for people who want to save more while using energy on budget.

5• Consider doing an energy audit

Some utility providers conduct energy audits for free while others charge a token for such service. Either way, consider doing an energy audit to know what takes the larger part of your electricity bill and how you can reduce its usage.

 

Conclusion to how to save money on your electricity bill

Electricity bills are inevitable as we need power to do almost everything. However, it is painful when a significant part of your income goes towards servicing your electricity and water bills.

That being the case for so many people, it’s about time you change your situation by making some lifestyle changes that could reduce energy bills to save your cold hard cash. No more humongous electricity bills, Never again!

After tons of research, we have put together this list of innovative ways anyone can spend less on your utility bills. The list above will not only help you save money, but it will also make you an active contributor to environmental preservation.

 

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